This invention relates to heated product sources located within a structure that generate waste products of combustion. In particular, the present invention relates to using a heat exchange system to transfer heat from the waste products of combustion to outside air being supplied to the structure.
Many structures, such as residential, commercial and industrial buildings, include gas and electric appliances, such as furnaces, hot water heaters, clothes dryers, stoves, and fireplaces that produce heated products when gas/air mixtures are combusted or heat is generated. The heated products of combustion or generated heat can contain waste products, such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, excess heat, and/or particulates. For example, waste products are produced from heating water in a hot water heater such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and excess heat. An occupant could die if waste products, such as carbon monoxide, reach too high of levels within the structure. In another example, a gas or electric kitchen stove can generate unwanted heat and smoke to an uncomfortable level, making it desirable to remove the waste products from the structure. Therefore, these waste products have to be removed from the structure to provide a safe breathing environment and comfortable atmosphere for occupants, while allowing make-up air to be delivered back into the structure in proper proportion to meet air quality requirements.
Presently, exhaust systems do not make an efficient use of waste product heat before exhaustion from the structure. The waste products are exhausted with little or no heat exchange with the structural surroundings or cold make-up air that is being brought into the structure. Therefore, the overall efficiency of the appliances is reduced because the waste gases are exhausted from the structure at a temperature greater than the temperature within the structure. The result is a less efficient appliance and increased heating and energy costs.
The present invention addresses the increased costs and decreased efficiency associated with failing to effectively use the heat contained within waste gases generated from heated products sources, such as appliances. The present invention provides a novel heat exchange system that uses the heat of waste exhaust gases to increase the temperature of fresh air as well as increase the overall efficiency of a heated product source that is in use within a structure.
Generally, the present invention relates to a heat exchange system that uses and removes heat from waste products being generated by a heated product source and exhausted from a structure. The heated exchange system provides a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the waste products to fresh outside air being supplied to the structure.
In one respect, the invention relates to a heat exchange system for heating outside air provided to a structure. The heat exchange system includes an exhaust duct to remove heated waste products generated by a heated products source from the structure. An intake duct supplies outside air to the structure. A heat exchanger couples the exhaust duct and the intake duct to transfer heat from the heated exhaust products to the outside air.
In another respect, the invention relates to a heat exchange system for heating outside air provided to a structure. The heat exchange system includes an exhaust duct to remove heated waste products generated by a heated products source from the structure. An intake duct supplies outside air to a room supply duct of a furnace housed within the structure. A heat exchanger couples the exhaust duct and the intake duct to transfer heat from the heated exhaust products to the outside air. A controller and a pair of in-line blowers are coupled to the heat exchanger to regulate air quality within the structure, wherein the controller independently controls each of the in-line blowers.
In another respect, the invention relates to a heat exchange system for heating outside air provided to a structure that includes a common exhaust duct to remove heated waste products generated by two or more heated products sources from the structure. A heat exchanger couples the common exhaust duct to an intake duct that supplies outside air to the structure. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the heated exhaust products to the outside air.
In another respect, the invention relates to a method heating outside air supplied to a structure including generating heated waste products of combustion, passing the heated waste products into an exhaust duct, conducting the heated combustion products through a heat exchanger, passing outside air into an intake duct and conducting the outside air through the heat exchanger to transfer heat from the heated combustion products to the outside air.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The Figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify embodiments of the invention. While certain embodiment of the invention will be illustrated in describing embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited to use in such embodiments.